A dog who was missing for three days has been rescued after he was found buried alive in a five-foot sinkhole.

Lisa Valkenburgh from Platte County, Missouri, had let her dog Maverick out on Thursday evening to relieve himself when he wandered off.

Valkenburgh and her family searched for the 12-year-old German Shepherd and eventually found him lethargic and dehydrated on Saturday afternoon, buried inside the sinkhole, Fox4KC reported.

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Maverick, a German Shepherd, who was missing for three days was rescued after he was found buried alive in a five-foot sinkhole in Platte, County Missouri. Above firefighters are shown as they dig the dog out

Valkenburgh and her family searched for the 12-year-old dog (pictured following the rescue) and eventually found him lethargic and dehydrated on Saturday afternoon, buried alive inside the sinkhole

'He was very lifeless by the time we got him to the vet,' Valkenburgh said after finding Maverick.

Prior to finding him, she had walked down a road where the sinkhole was located and heard a moan-like bark, discovering Maverick underground inside the hole.

It took three firefighters from the Southern Platte Fire Protection District an hour and a half to dig Maverick out.

'Took shovels and they were actually able to get three firefighters to come from different angles and to shovel it out and keep the mud from compacting and compressing on him, to keep him from actually suffocating,' Valkenburgh's son Roman Alexander told Fox4kc.

The dog was taken to the vet who said he is expected to make a full recovery.

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Maverick pictured above as he is cared for at the veterinarian. It took three firefighters from the Southern Platte Fire Protection District an hour and a half to dig Maverick out

The dog was taken to the vet who said he is expected to make a full recovery

Greg Sager, Platte County director of public works, told Fox4kc that the sinkhole was created after water caused the pipe to rust and the soil was washed away.

He added that a new pipe had been ordered on Monday and that it will be replaced in the next couple of weeks.

The county has also put up caution cones to keep people from walking or driving over the area, according to Fox4kc.

Following the rescue, Valkenburgh is thankful that Maverick is safe but said she is concerned about what could have happened if a child have fallen inside.

Following the rescue, owner LIsa Valkenburgh (pictured) is thankful that Maverick is safe and back with the family

On Facebook, she posted of the 'miracle' rescue and thanked the Platte county sheriff and Fire Department for their help

'That [the sinkhole] would swallow a child,' she told Fox4kc. 'That is a dangerous situation.'

On Facebook she wrote of the miracle rescue and thanked the sheriff and fire department for their help.

'By some miracle my sweet boy has been found 72 hours later I didn't give up had to go look one more time heard a faint howl 5ft down and under ground there was my little old man,' she wrote.

'Huge thanks to Platte county sheriff and fire department they went over and beyond pulled him out.'

The fire department also wrote on Facebook that they were happy they got to assist in bring the family back together: 'So glad that Southern Platte Fire was able to assist and help this family get back together!'

Following the ordeal, caution cones have set up to keep people from walking and driving over the area